The polar angle (θ), also known as the azimuthal angle, is a fundamental concept used in the context of cylindrical or spherical coordinate systems. It is an angle measured in radians that specifies the angular position of a point relative to a reference direction. When considering the velocity potential (φ) in a polar coordinate system, the polar angle plays a significant role in determining how the velocity potential varies with direction.
- 𝜃 is the polar angle, measured in radians.
- Γ is the circulation, which represents the total angular momentum or vorticity associated with the Rankine half-body flow.
- V∞ is the free-stream velocity
- R is the radius of the circular object